Thanks for that explanation, Tomas. In one case, the surname Canada apparently derives from canyon (similar to ravine).
A line with the Bartolomeu surname changed it to Canada during their immigration process to California. As one descendent wrote, “because the father owned land in a canyon (cañada) in the Azores,” referring to Santa Cruz das Flores. Although cañada is defined as glade/dell or gully/ravine in Spanish, this topographical feature somehow also became a geographic place name in Portugal and France. This is discussed in: Marshall, A Elliot. 1888. Origin of the Name ‘Canada.’ Pp. 164-173 in A. Marshall Elliot, ed. Modern Language Notes, Vol. III. Baltimore, MD. Marshall describes the use of canada for path in Portuguese, but discusses the second sense of the Latin word root, relating it to Spanish and Portuguese. Regarding topographical features and place names, Marshall concludes: “Again: the extensive use in Spain, as opposed to Portugal, of the word *canada* or *cañada* as a geographical designation, would argue in favor of the probable origin of the name on Spanish soil…” and he notes, in addition: “But not alone in Spain do we find the word *Canada* widely used for marking topographical sites. On the map of France, we note seven places of this name scattered throughout as many different Départements, in all of which the same general characteristics exist that we have seen in the Spanish names…” Steve -- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
